We need them and rely on them every day but – look out – we can curse their limitations when they don't suit our needs.

After a few months in your kitchen, you've probably adapted to your electrical outlets like many people do: positioning vital appliances (like the coffee maker) right in front of them, even if you're less than enthused about the final resting spot. 

If it's any consolation, top designers need, rely and curse electrical outlets, too. The difference is, they know five tips that can bring harmony to common outlet dilemmas. Replicate them in your home – and put some spark in your step as you fire up the coffee maker.

Your kitchen may not be perfect, but even if you've been in your home for only a few months, you have a system, with designated places to cut, mix, pour, cook and serve.

More than charcoal goes up in smoke when you move outdoors; your system does, too, reducing even the most organized cook to feeling like they have two left hands that’re only one step ahead of two left feet. Replicate the function and purpose to your outdoor grilling area with four sensible ideas:

The area underneath your staircase can pose a big interior design challenge. These spaces are usually small and awkwardly shaped. Many people don’t know what to do with this area and simply try to ignore or even hide it. Instead of letting this space go to waste, make the most of this area and transform it into a one of a kind, practical space with one of these 5 great ideas.

1. Mini Mudroom

If you don’t already have a dedicated mudroom in your home, the area under your staircase can make a great miniature version. Installing shelving and cabinetry can give your family places to store your shoes, backpacks, handbags, sports equipment, and anything else you might take with you as you head out to work or school each day. Having this dedicated space for these items will help you keep your house tidier. Plus, you’ll save yourself the trouble of those last-minute panics looking for these things as you’re trying to get out the door on time.

It’s not too late for spring cleaning and the garage is a great place to start. While functioning as a storage area for most, getting the garage organized can make your stored items more accessible. Learn the simplest way to get your garage spic and span this year.

Take it one area at a time

If you’ve let things build up, tackling the whole space can feel overwhelming. Start by clearing out the center of your garage, moving your car out. Then, target a corner and starting top to bottom pull everything into the center of the room to go through each piece. Once that corner is complete, move on around the garage. Focusing on a single area of the garage can make cleaning seem more doable and prevent you from getting overwhelmed.

When installing an island in your kitchen, there is no “one size fits all” solution. You have the ability to control every detail – from how tall it is to the size and shape. This freedom provides you with a world of possibilities but when you’re designing something from scratch, sometimes it’s hard to know just where to start. Here are a few things to consider when designing your ideal kitchen island.

Summer is usually a time when people come and go, leave their doors and windows open more and also let the warmer weather lull them into a more casual attitude toward safety.

Home burglars seem to know this – and act accordingly, breaking into more homes and yards during July and August than any other month of the year, safety experts say.

Every day in the United States, a home burglary takes place about every 15 seconds and most often between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Protect your home and family this summer – and avoid becoming a statistic – by making the following moves to secure your home:

Laundry -- no matter how hard you try to avoid it, it keeps coming back, time and time again. While this task may be endlessly daunting, part of your despair might actually be coming from your space itself. 

If you're like many homeowners, you've focused your design efforts on the rest of the house, leaving the laundry room as an after-thought that's probably deserving of some much-needed TLC. With some well-planned organizational tools -- and a few perfect splashes of paint -- you might be surprised at how much dread this household duty can eliminate from your day-to-day life.

Ready to hate laundry less? Here are a few tips to help you as you remodel your laundry room:

Living in Nevada, there are few things more desirable than having a pool in your own backyard. A private pool is a beautiful home improvement offering real value during the long hot, summer days in Las Vegas. Whether your aim is having a place in which you can up your fitness routine with afternoon lap sessions or somewhere to entertain your children and their friends, pools simply rule. 

There is however one caveat, pool ownership requires a good maintenance routine. Something as simple as a blocked filter can lead to frustrating and sometimes expensive repairs when not fixed in time. Plus, no one wants to swim in green water full of miscellaneous debris. Keep your pool looking great longer with these key pool maintenance tips:

The best interior designers know: when you want to add stylish touches to your living room, it's not how much money you spend; it's how you spend it.

Most important? Remain true to what you love and the colors that energize you. You'll be more inclined to take chances, make unusual groupings and create a living room that carries your signature touch. And that's what real style is all about.

When you want to splurge but have to save, consider these seven ideas:

The next time someone asks you if you're “in the zone,” you may ask which zone they're referring to. If you're standing in the kitchen, the answer should be self-evident – at least if you're as organized as kitchen designers say you could be.

They recommend grouping your kitchen activities around three critical zones: the refrigerator, sink and range-oven. Since key functions take place in each of these zones, certain tools and accessories should be stored close-by to enhance efficiency.

While everyone can benefit from this “kitchen rethink” exercise, it may be particularly useful for people who hurriedly unpacked their kitchen when they first moved in. (And that's probably a lot of people.) Considering most Americans spend more than an hour a day in the kitchen, the “three-zone” notion should hold considerable appeal, no matter how much storage space a kitchen features.